Etiqueta: Bengal tiger

Machali and Cee4life In India – Due to our upcoming visit in a couple of weeks to India, we thought it would be good to share we everyone the work that we have done in India and for the last of the Bengal Tigers. We provide education to the public, private and government sectors on many conservation issues and aid with the rescue and rehabilitation of both wild and captive animals, specifically Tigers. Cee4life works in most of the SE Asian countries, and have aided in conservation situations in USA, Kenya and European areas. Machali is based in India, in Ranthambore, so I thought it would be good to recap some of the work with have done to help in India.

Photo: cee4life

In 2011 when we conducted the educational event Freedom Walk for the Tigers at Corbett National Park which was aided by Indian media, specifically NDTV. – http://cee4life.org/project&details.php?article_id=10
In 2012 we happened to be in a remote area where a Tigress had one of her four cubs hit and killed by a car. The mother Tigress attacked any random vehicle that passed by for the next week. No one went to aid her. So we did. Here is the film of that.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG5dOxM2cis

In early 2014 we released the very controversial Bengal Tiger Death Count report of all Bengal deaths of 2013, in hope the severe impact of poachers of the glorious Bengal Tigers could hopefully be clearly seen and inspire more anti poaching teams to be implemented and trained in a highly tactical manner –http://cee4life.org/tigerprotection.php

Photo: cee4life

The director of Cee4life, Sybelle Foxcroft, has been requested by a number of Indian tiger lovers and conservationists to come to Ranthambore and visit Machali as there is great concern about her well being due to the conflict in the decision to feed or not feed Machali.
After seeing the difficult but successful recent rescue and rehabilitation of a Tiger Cee4life assisted in saving, we have been contacted regarding the great concern for Machali – For your information here is the documentary which ABC Foreign Correspondent did with us on this http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2013/s3894606.htm

I hope you enjoy reading through the work that we have been doing over the years to try and aid the Indian Bengal Tigers, and we thank the Indian Media and Authorities for their support in all of this. ~ Cee4life

Wild tiger numbers are at an all-time low. We have lost 97% of wild tigers in just over a century. Tigers may be one of the most revered animals, but they are also vulnerable to extinction. As few as 3,200 exist in the wild today.

The largest of all the Asian big cats, tigers rely primarily on sight and sound rather than smell. They typically hunt alone and stalk prey. A tiger can consume up to 88 pounds of meat at one time. On average, tigers give birth to 2-3 cubs every 2-2.5 years. If all the cubs in one litter die, a second litter may be produced within 5 months.

Tigers generally gain independence at two years of age and attain sexual maturity at 3-4 years for females and at 4-5 years for males. Juvenile mortality is high however—about half of all cubs do not survive more than two years. Tigers have been known to reach the age of 26 years in the wild.

Males of the largest subspecies, the Amur (Siberian) tiger, may weigh up to 660 pounds. For males of the smallest subspecies—the Sumatran tiger—upper range is at around 310 pounds. Within each subspecies, males are heavier than females. Tigers are mostly solitary, apart from associations between mother and offspring. Individual tigers have a large territory and the size is determined mostly by the availability of prey. Although individuals do not patrol their territories, they visit over a period of days or weeks and mark their territory with urine and feces.

Across their range, tigers face unrelenting pressure from poaching, retaliatory killings and habitat loss. They are forced to compete for space with dense and often growing human populations.

Today, the last of Indonesia’s tigers—now less than 400—are holding on for survival in the remaining patches of forests on the island of Sumatra. Accelerating deforestation and rampant poaching mean this noble creature could end up like its extinct Javan and Balinese relatives.

Sumatran tigers are the smallest surviving tiger subspecies and are distinguished by heavy black stripes on their orange coats. They are protected by law in Indonesia, with tough provisions for jail time and steep fines. But despite increased efforts in tiger conservation—including law enforcement and antipoaching capacity—a substantial market remains in Sumatra and the rest of Asia for tiger parts and products. Sumatran tigers are losing their habitat and prey fast, and poaching shows no sign of decline.

Amur tigers were once found throughout the Russian Far East, northern China, and the Korean peninsula. By the 1940s, hunting had driven the Amur tiger to the brink of extinction—with no more than 40 individuals remaining in the wild. The subspecies was saved when Russia became the first country in the world to grant the tiger full protection.

By the 1980s, the Amur tiger population had increased to around 500. Although poaching increased after the collapse of the Soviet Union, continued conservation and antipoaching efforts by many partners—including WWF—have helped keep the population stable at around 450 individuals. The Amur tiger’s habitat is now restricted to the Sikhote-Alin range in the Primorski and Khabarovski provinces of the Russian Far East, and to small pockets in the border areas of China and possibly North Korea. The high latitude means long winters where the sun does not rise far above the horizon.

Amur tigers have the largest home range of any tiger subspecies because low prey densities means they have to search over large areas to find food. They represent the largest unfragmented tiger population in the world.

The Bengal tiger is found primarily in India with smaller populations in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar. It is the most numerous of all tiger subspecies with fewer than 2,500 left in the wild. The creation of India’s tiger reserves in the 1970s helped to stabilize numbers, but poaching to meet a growing demand from Asia in recent years has once again put the Bengal tiger at risk. The mangroves of the Sundarbans—shared between Bangladesh and India—are the only mangrove forests where tigers are found. The Sundarbans are increasingly threatened by sea level rise as a result of climate change.

Indochinese Tiger

Population

around 350 (2010 estimate)

bScientific Name

Panthera tigris corbetti

dWeight

396-550 pounds

CLength

average 9 feet from nose to tail

eHabitats

Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, dry forest

The region contains the largest combined area of tiger habitat in the world—equal to roughly the size of France. However, rapid development, such as road construction, is fragmenting habitats. Due to decades of rampant poaching many of the landscapes of this region have no tigers left in them.

There is hope in other remaining Indochinese tiger habitats, which have a relatively low human presence and offer a unique opportunity for tiger conservation. The best hope of the survival of this subspecies is in the Dawna Tennaserim landscape on the Thailand-Myanmar border where perhaps 250 tigers remain. WWF considers the forests of the Lower Mekong a restoration landscape with the possibility of reintroducing tigers as the habitat and prey base are there. Southern Laos and Central Vietnam also have potential for recovery of wild tiger populations.

Access to the areas where Indochinese tigers live is often restricted, and biologists have only recently been granted limited permits for field surveys. As a result, there is still much to learn about the status of these tigers in the wild.

South China Tiger

Population

believed to be extinct in the wild

bScientific Name

Panthera tigris amoyensis

eHabitats

Southeast China-Hainan Moist Forests

The South China tiger population was estimated to number 4,000 individuals in the early 1950s. In the next few decades, thousands were killed as the subspecies was hunted as a pest. The Chinese government banned hunting in 1979. By 1996 the population was estimated to be just 30-80 individuals.

Today the South China tiger is considered by scientists to be “functionally extinct,” as it has not been sighted in the wild for more than 25 years.

Malayan Tiger

Population

around 500

bScientific Name

Panthera tigris jacksoni

dWeight

220 – 264 pounds

eHabitats

Tropical moist broadleaf forests

Malayan tigers number around 500 and were classified as the Indochinese tiger until DNA testing in 2004 showed it to be a separate subspecies. Its Latin name—Panthera tigris jacksoni— honors Peter Jackson, the famous tiger conservationist. Malayan tigers are found only on the Malay Peninsula and in the southern tip of Thailand.

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Panthera tigris tigris ssp – The Bengal Tiger is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and India.

This report focuses on the Bengal Tigers of India.

In India, this sub-species of Tiger is often referred to as the Royal Bengal Tiger; however in 2013 this King was subjected to anything but the protection that royalty would be entitled to. The Bengal Tigers of India are facing a terrible battle and have struggled and fought for their lives just to simply live in the forests that are rightly called their homes.

The unrelenting threats of on-going rampant poaching, vicious habitat loss and heavy prey species decline, human overpopulation and continuous encroachment levelled at the Tigers of India, has left this marvellous Apex predator facing massive threats to its survival.

Many claim the Bengal has less than a decade left before extinction in India if efforts to protect it are not taken to a new level. We agree.

It is well known across the world that all Tiger subspecies ( and many other animals) are targeted by poachers and wildlife trading syndicates to provide “stock” or “fuel” to the myth of Traditional Chinese Medicine Animal Body Part Use, otherwise known as TCM ABP. The Tiger has always been thought of as a walking drugstore, however there is no magic medicine locked inside the body parts of this creature. The magic of this creature is seeing the living being roaming free in its natural environment. But that is fast becoming “wishful thinking”.

It is pure historical cultural mythology that has created this incessant hunting of the Tigers. TCM ABP was created from myths and legends nearly 3000 years ago. It is a known fact that TCM animal body part use was based not on the anatomical study of the human body, but was based on the astrological calculations and complex associations with the historical era’s gods.

Historically and culturally TCM animal body part remedies came from the identification of an animal behaviour or body part which was then applied to the corresponding human part and/or behaviour. These theorised remedies were then sold to people without any medical proof, and people were told that it would help or cure their ailment by applying the animal predispositions corresponding to human dispositions. It was, and always will be, factual myths and legends.

India is a land that is steeped in a wonderful deep culture, historical and religious beliefs, and a bright sparkling culture. It is also a land that has a massive looming over population, and thousands are struggling to survive. This, seemingly unstoppable, growing human population is impacting the forests and its animals to the point where human/animal conflict is a near daily occurrence now. Mostly, this type of encounter ends badly, both for the human and of course the Tigers. Human/animal conflict is another of the threats to the Tigers.

But probably the most heinous of them all is the demand for TCM ABP. With all of the positives within India, there lies a sinister darkness.

India now has numerous thriving wildlife trading syndicates inside its borders. They will take the very last of the India’s Bengal Tiger for the fake false myths of TCM ABP’s business.

In 2013, business was good…..

Throughout 2013, Cee4life has vigilantly counted the deaths of India’s Bengal Tigers. It has been the most horrendous and tragic report we have ever done. Some may not like the truth, however, we are positive the wild tigers would approve of anything that may save their lives and allow them to live in peace.

This time to act came and went years ago, now the urgency to save this species is upon us. There is no choice, no more excuses, care enough now.

THERE COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 9 TIGERS HERE GOING BY THIS ARTICLE – This article says the national tiger death count is 31 dead. However, that is excluding the 35 Bengal body parts found in Nepal. We have the count at 57, however if you minus the 35 Nepal tigers, that’s 22. This article states 31. We have missed 9 tiger deaths……. so the death count, including the 35 dead bengals from India and these 9 unknowns is 66. We will not add in the 9 unknowns yet……… also article claims there is 5 tigers dead in Nagpur since Jan 2013. Are these 5 included in the missing 10?

Nine possible deaths, NAGPUR/MAHARASHTRA, carried over from April, number 57 and not included in count yet, however noted as a 2nd figure ie: 83/90 etc.

83/92 1 Bengal Tiger, Skin and bones seized, BHUTAN, although Tiger skin was seized in Bhutan, the criminals were 2 Indian men staying at a unit and tip offs from within and outside of India identified this probable cross boarder smuggling/poaching. This was a Bengal Tiger and is included in India’s Bengal Tiger death count http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=31811

OCTOBER

(Note: Nine possible deaths, NAGPUR/MAHARASHTRA, carried over from April, number 56 and not included in count yet, however noted as a 2nd figure ie: 83/90 etc.)

92/101 – Another 7 unknown Tiger deaths, 5 in MAHARASHTRA and 2 in MADYA PRADESH. (Note: This article goes onto to say, 5 skins were seized on May 30 in this October article, and also states poachers were identified as killing another 5, that equals 10 tigers. But are the 5 in Maharashtra & 2 in Madhya Pradesh separate to the 5 skins seized and the other 5 tigers poached?? That would make – 17 tigers?? We’ll go with the headline of 7 unknowns for now, however the other 10 are noted….) http://www.indianexpress.com/news/7-tigers-killed-this-year-minister-says-has-no-clue/1181477/0

+ Extra Tigers that we don’t know about mentioned in above articles comes to approximately 20 more.

Sub Total of 174 + another 20 = 194

Only 3 syndicates caught this year, that public knows about. Each syndicate has about 20 tiger deaths to their names. However, there would be approximately another 150 – 170 tiger syndicates working in India and many more tigers would be killed that we do not know about.

An approximate figure of the unknowns from other syndicates – 60

Sub Total of 194 + estimated 60 unknown syndicate kills = 254

254 Tiger Deaths as of 31th Dec 2013. (But there’s probably more…..)

The Frustration of Tiger Conservationists

35 Bengals – Number 55 – After former vice-chairman of Uttarakhand’s Forest and Environment Advisory Committee Anil Baluni was informed that the haul of tiger parts included 140 canine teeth (4 canines per tiger) equalling at least 35 tigers killed, Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Administration and Intelligence, and chief of the Anti-Poaching Cell, SK Dutt said he was not aware of the claims of the canines being part of the haul but that telephone communications between Uttarakhand and Nepal is not ideal……

Baluni said, “The (Indian) Uttarakhand Forest department has done nothing since the details of this seizure were revealed”.

Noted Moments of Despair

Call to Kill “Man eater Tigers”

In November 2013, a tiger in Bandipur had tragically killed several people. This Tiger was said to have been humanely caught after a wide search and after labelling him as a “man eater”. The Tiger that was caught was battered, old, and suffering injuries.

A true man eater is very rare. Many aspects and characteristics go in calling a Tiger a man eater which we will not go into now. However briefly, any Tiger can kill a human, but not all are the rare true man eater. If we were to believe every time someone claimed there was a man eater in India, the entire country would be swamped with the so called “man – eaters”.

Yes, only if the true rare confirmed “man eater” IS identified…. And how are you going to do that if a “swift killing” is done. This boy, who was labelled “man-eater”, and apparently was feasting on a human within hours of being caught, had no trace of any human body part in his body, but he nearly lost his life due to being labelled “man- eater”. Yes there is a denial that the current killing of a human is the real Tiger that was doing the killing, but if Bandipur is serious about Tiger and human protection, then they would have vigilant trackers and patrols in place to identify these Tigers fast, sedate them, and either rehome or place into a sanctuary.

Its all very good to state “swift killing of true man-eaters”, but until a way to 100% confirm that fact, and until there is 100% protection of the precious last few Bengals is in place, then every last tiger should be treated as “Royalty”.

A statement, from a noted wildlife biologist, that saddened so many conservationists.

They Don’t Want This Tiger Back

A wild male tiger wandered out of the wild and into a zoological garden (for safety and peace I presume) and made it his territory. Of course the zoo staff was shocked to see this wild boy making his home inside a zoo. (How ironic). NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority India) supports the rehome/relocation of him back into the wild. However, this is where everything turns pear shaped – his home range of Satkosia does not want him back. This is seriously disturbing. But what is more disturbing is the reasons why they don’t want him back. Forestry Dept. of Satkosia says they haven’t got enough “manpower” to monitor and protect the tigers. This is an all too common excuse or reason. There are a lot of questions regarding where all funds which were raised for the Tigers is going to. Some believe that it is a case of some people in the charge of the “money handling” taking what they think they are entitled to.

This article begs the questions do the authorities truly want to save the Bengals? Or do they simply not know how to? Either way, I would like to check how many have nicely lined pockets…

A statement, from an Indian Government authority, that saddened so many conservationists.

A logical conclusion is easy to see. These areas above are heavily targeted by poachers and a dedicated effort by the Government to implement professional protection teams to monitor 24/7, in addition, the Government must ensure that all funding FOR THE TIGERS, goes TO THE TIGERS, and the Indian Government must finally SUPPORT the true conservationists on the ground fighting such a terrible battle.

This is the worst report we have ever done, and it may make some angry, you may not believe the horrendous death count of 254, but you can see it as clear as I can.

The Bengal Tigers of India are targeted by those who could not care less about conservation, and they purely care about the money to be earned from the heinous wildlife trade, and of course the sinister TCM ABP.

Just skin and bones, Melani the Sumatran Tigress teeters towards death and then somehow stumbles back to life. She’s become a tragic and disturbing example of what can happen to a majestic animal in the supposed care of humans.Melani should have been safe. Unlike tigers in a jungle habitat trying to survive the threats of poachers, development and environmental destruction, she was in a zoo. But the Surabaya Zoo has proved to be no sanctuary.A few years ago Melani and three other Sumatran Tigers were fed meat tainted with formaldehyde. Only Melani survived – and then only just. Her organs were so damaged she was unable to absorb requisite nutrients from her food and couldn’t maintain necessary condition. Until recently this skeletal creature was doomed to crawl around a small dark enclosure critics say resembled a dungeon.Now, finally, she’s getting expert care elsewhere, it’s still no sure bet she’ll survive. If she doesn’t then you can scratch another Sumatran Tiger off the estimated population of between just 300 and 400.“She’s a creature that’s been neglected and abused inside a zoo that is deemed to care for her. To see an animal struggle through this sort of thing you know she wants to live. It’s her will that’s keeping her alive.”SYBELLE FOXCROFT Conservationist, Cee4LifeThe Surabaya Zoo still drags in plenty of visitors, but it doesn’t appear that much of the money generated by ticket sales and other zoo enterprises goes to caring for animals. Local families who come here for an affordable day out appear oblivious to the startling poor condition of many of the animals and their enclosures.

Those who do know about animal welfare say Surabaya Zoo is a disgrace and grow frustrated and increasingly angry that the City Government responsible for it is not working to solve the problem.

Indonesia Correspondent George Roberts investigates how a facility once thought to be among South East Asia’s finest zoos has become a squalid hell-hole for its inhabitants. Beyond Surabaya he explores why Indonesia appears to put such a low priority on its majestic and important creatures that are being pressed ever closer toward extinction.

I’m a wildlife ecologist and conservationist who believes in promoting a “no kill” nation with regard to feral and stray cats, but let me share concerns with you put forth by many in the conservation community.

I just returned from South Asia where I was working on rescue projects aimed at helping Indian leopards, jungle cats, other wild felids and other carnivore species, some of which are endemic to the region.

Specifically, the Indian subcontinent is home to the rare Bengal tiger subspecies, an iconic and revered wild cat subspecies, which is considered Endangered, but not yet Critically Endangered like some other tiger subspecies, all of which are vanishing more or less from our planet.

And in the mangroves forests of Sundarbans, which covers a transboundary region of India and Bangladesh, there exists one of the most important nature reserves in the world for the Royal Bengal tiger. It is home to approximately 270 Bengal tigers as well as leopards and jungle cats.

There are some villages nearby where people similar to you and me choose to love and cherish domestic cats as either pets or agents of pest control.

Not far from the village and right near the protected mangrove forests there are established feral cat colonies, comprised of cats that most likely descended from cats kept by local villagers. The feral cats mind their own business and and many people believe they deserve to be left alone, but some of them very likely carry feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia.

These two diseases are considered by some established scientific and medical communities to be fairly common in feral cats and very difficult to treat.

What do we do to prevent the spread of these lethal viral diseases if they are a legitimate threat to not only other feral, and other free roaming cats, and pets, but to the tigers and the other four species of big cats that live on the subcontinent (Asiatic lions, leopards, clouded leopards and snow leopards).

All of these pantherine cats are in jeopardy of vanishing in our lifetimes due to a number of other human caused or anthropogenic threats. I haven’t even mentioned the several smaller wild cat species in India, which are susceptible to these viruses like fishing cats and jungle cats.

I don’t have the answer, and I don’t want to demonize feral cats more so than they have already been demonized. But I do know that although I am now much more a fan of domestic cats, I am and always have been a fan of the wild cats. I don’t want to see anyone kill feral cats nor do I want to see tigers and Asiatic lions of which there are only a few hundred left in India, succumb to disease and possibly extinction.

Tigers are one of the most charismatic and beautiful animals on earth. They are the world’s largest cat and can live across a wide range of habitats, from mountains to coastal wetlands. Most of the world’s tigers live in India within the borders of a number of national parks and tiger reserves; but their numbers are decreasing rapidly. Tiger tourism has become a hot button issue in India, with the country’s recent Supreme Court decision to end a moratorium on tourism in these reserves.

Many wildlife conservationists and respected ecotourism operators advocate that tourism can help save this iconic predator, Panthera tigris. They argue that the presence of tourists helps keep away poachers from important habitat. Furthermore, some proactive tour operators, such as Wildland Adventures, put portions of their profits toward conservation and social programs in the countries to which they travel.

Photo Courtesy of Keith Roper

Sanjay Gubbi, tiger program coordinator for the well-respected conservation organization Panthera, has said that, “India’s wildlife tourism industry benefits communities by stimulating local economies and providing employment.” Many also believe that tiger tourism helps inspire travelers to support conservation efforts and create personal connections between tourists and wildlife; however, there is still much more to do to encourage visitors to deepen their relationship with these animals.

Ajay Dubey, a conservationist who works with Prayatna, believes tiger tourism as currently practiced in India is a threat to the big cats. Panthera’s Gubbi notes that many tourism operations adhere to “unethical safari practices.” In some preserves, lodges have been built in key tiger habitat, and the cats are further stressed by large numbers of Jeeps overcrowding them.

Photo Courtesy of Roman Stanek

Dubey recently took the Indian government to court to spur improvements in how tiger tourism is managed in the country. This lawsuit has divided many people on both sides of the argument, and whether the final ruling — which reversed the ban on tourism in core sections of India’s 41 preserves — will improve the situation is yet to be seen. The hope is that the grievances that spurred the original ban have led to better managements strategies for these rare habitats.

One point on which both sides of the argument agree is the severity of the situation. Most assessments estimate approximately 3,000 tigers remaining in the wild across Asia, with about 1,700 existing in India. These numbers indicate more than a 50 percent decline over the past decade in tiger populations and are why they are currently listed as endangered by the IUCN’s Red List. The main reason for this decline however, is not tourism but poaching. Tiger skins and body parts can bring thousands of dollars on the black market.

I have spent most of the past decade working on improving how tourism benefits the efforts to protect endangered sea turtles. While these two animals and their conservation methods are very different, many of the same principles apply. For tourism to work, it must be done in a way that minimizes damage to key habitat, prevents unnecessary stress on the animals, and generates concrete benefits to both conservation programs and nearby communities.

Photo Courtesy of Bill Weaver

The recent ruling by the Indian Supreme Court on Prayatna’s lawsuit has the potential to improve how tourism is managed in the country. Unfortunately, people on both sides of the argument were disappointed in the lack of strong regulations to protect tigers in the decision. Julian Matthews of Travel Operators for Tigers stated that, “Sadly there is nothing in these guidelines that gives anyone… a legal ‘road map’ as to how they (the forests) can be restored.” The primary responsibility for ending the construction of infrastructure is now in the hands of the state governments, which have been given six months to develop new tourism and conservation guidelines.

Tour operators have a strong responsibility to advocate not only for regulations that will allow their businesses to grow but also to make compromises that keep the best interests of the tigers in mind. If real changes aren’t made to both improve tourism management and reduce poaching, tourism businesses and local communities will suffer alongside these charismatic animals.

– Brad Nahill

Brad Nahill is a wildlife conservationist, writer, activist, and fundraiser. He is the Director & Co-Founder of SEEtheWILD, the world’s first non-profit wildife conservation travel website. To date, we have generated more than $300,000 for wildlife conservation and local communities and our volunteers have completed more than 1,000 work shifts at sea turtle conservation project. SEEtheWILD is a project of The Ocean Foundation. Follow SEEtheWILD on Facebook or Twitter.

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Travelers interested in visiting India’s tiger reserves should seek out tour operators that both minimize impacts on tigers and support conservation efforts.